TRAVEL >
The best of Rome
Written by: Anita Lišková & Todd Shaw
Photo by: www.isifa.com
Situated on the River Tiber, between the Apennine Mountains and
the Tyrrhenian Sea, the "Eternal City" of Rome was once
the center of the mighty Roman Empire. Today, it remains the seat
of the Italian government and home to numerous ministerial offices,
as well as one of the world's most popular tourist destinations.
Jan Matoušek
director, Italian-Czech chamber of commerce and industry CAMIC
Favorite hotels: San Carlo, Via delle Carrozze, 93,
tel. +39 06 678 4548
- a simple friendly family hotel few meters from the Spanish
steps
Hotel Nazionale, Piazza Montecitorio, 131, tel. +39 06 695
001
- an old, noble hotel on the square right beside the Italian
parliament, where - with a little luck - you may see famous
faces from Italian politics
Favorite restaurants: Ristorante 34, Via Mario de'Fiori, 34,
tel. +39 06 679 5091
- offering unique cuisine from Rome and friendly ambience -
it's necessary to book in advance.
Favorite attraction: Piazza Navona in the evening
Favorite shop: La Rinascente, Via Alberto Pollio, 50 00159
Roma, tel. +39 06 432 073
- shopping center
Advice: Do not rush; it's better to see less but comprehend
more. |
Martin
Cicala
owner, CICALA agenzia viaggi
Favorite hotel: Hotel Porta
Maggiore, Piazza Porta Maggiore 25, tel.: +39 06 702
7927
Favorite restaurant: Trattoria Gigetto, Via Portico d'Ottavia
21/a-22, tel.: +39 06 686 1105
Favorite attraction: Musei Vaticani, including Sixtin
Chappel
I recommend taking the longest tour, which lasts about
5 hours - it's amazing and worth it.
Best-kept secret: Via di Giubbonari - the Jewish district
Advice: In the city travel with the public transport
system, especially buses - for better speed and comfort,
use the underground.
|
Aneta Mrakešová
manager, Fede
Favorite hotel: Grand Hotel Beverly Hills, Largo Benedetto
Marcello 220, tel. +39 06 854 2141
Favorite restaurant: Papa Rex, Via Aurelia 87 (Vaticano),
tel. +39 06 634 998
- dance music every evening
Favorite night club: Gilda, Via Mario Dee Fiori 97, tel.:
+39 06 678 4838
Favorite attraction: Colosseum on Piazza del Colosseo, entrance
fee: EUR 8
Best-kept secret: Campo di Fiori
- a charming little square every morning covered with flowers,
fruits, and vegetables for the day market
Favorite shop: Armani, Via dei Condotti 76, tel. +39 06 699
1460
Advice: Don't forget to see Fountain di Trevi lit up at night,
known from Fellini's Dolce Vita movie. |
|
Basic facts
Location: Lazio region, western central Italy
Dialing Code: 39
Population: 2,655,970 (2001 census)
Ethnic Mix: Majority Italian, 6.36% foreign minorities
Religion: Roman Catholic majority; Russian and Greek
Orthodox, Jewish and Muslim minorities
Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March
to last Saturday in October)
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz
Average January temp: 6.5° C (44° F)
Average July temp: 25° C (77° F)
Annual rainfall: 828 mm (33 inches)
|
|
Where on the web?
For further information, we suggest the following websites dedicated
to Rome:
www.cityguide.travel-guides.com/cities/rom/BusinessServices.asp - the first best source for business links in Rome and Italy.
www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/rome/ - brush up on your
history, or look for places "off the beaten track" with
help from the Lonely Planet people.
www.romeguide.it - a somewhat "busy" portal layout of
multiple links to other site focused on Rome.
www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=rome@130 -
as usual, Fodor's covers everything from accommodation to shopping
on its site.
www.femalefirst.co.uk/travel/402004.htm - sightseeing tips and
other info aimed at the female traveler.
|
Prices
· 1.0-liter bottle of mineral water: EUR 0.80
· 33-cl bottle of beer: EUR 1.30
· Financial Times newspaper: EUR 2.40
· 36-exposure color film: EUR 4
· city-center bus ticket: EUR 0.77
· adult football ticket: EUR 30
· three-course meal with wine/beer: EUR 30
1 Euro (EUR 1) = CAD 1.56; CZK 31.10; GBP 0.69; USD
1.24
(Currency conversion rates as of press time.)
Source: http://www.cityguide.travel-guides.com
|
|
Business etiquette
· Business greetings take the form of a handshake (social kissing
is reserved for friends and family) and business cards are exchanged.
If possible, it is best to have one side printed in Italian and
one in English. All company literature should be provided in Italian.
· Colleagues should be addressed by their surname and academic/professional
titles respected. Although some of the Italian business community
will speak some English or French, Italian is the dominant language
of business. It is wise to take the precaution of employing an
interpreter, to minimize the degree of misunderstandings.
Source: www.cityguide.travel-guides.com
Business profile
· The strength of the national economy lies in the service sector,
which accounted for 63% of GDP in 2003. Tourism is the country's
largest industry, with Rome as the "number one" destination.
Other significant industries in the capital include finance and
banking, insurance, printing, publishing and fashion. Italy's film
industry (founded in 1936) is located at nearby Cinecitta.
· Trade fairs and large business conventions are normally held
in EUR, a modern suburb six kilometers (four miles) south of the
city center. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) is based in Rome, as is the World Food Program (WFP) and
the International Center for the Study of the Preservation and
Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM).
· The city continues to reap the rewards of the massive investment
program set up for the year 2000 celebrations. Tourism was given
a fine boost, as hotels were upgraded, museums refurbished and
the public transport system rationalized.
|
